Numerous ways of flavoring the smoke of a smoking article are known. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,391, microporous particles that are impregnated with a flavorant are added to a cigarette filter. In another example, a flavored thread, made of a thermoplastic, is placed coaxially within the filter plug. In yet another example, a skinless hollow fiber of cellulose acetate can be used to flavor tobacco smoke. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,932. None of these methods, however, have obtained wide commercial acceptance.
In commercially available mentholated smoking articles, either the tobacco shred, the filter plug, or the inner wrapper of the smoking article package is flavored. A principle drawback of these methods is that the smoking article will not stay flavored for extended periods of time after the pack is opened. Thus, the flavorant must be added in greater amounts to achieve acceptable levels of flavor when the article is smoked. Flavorants are expensive and these high rates of addition make the flavored smoking article more expensive.
Smoking product manufacturers are also looking at the use of flavorants other than menthol. These other flavorants are used to reduce the after taste of the article. Therefore, even greater amounts of expensive flavorants may be used and thereby drive the cost of smoking articles even higher.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of storing flavorants in a smoking article which will reduce the amount of flavorant needed, yet deliver a good level of flavorant to the smoker when the article is puffed.